My doctor wants me to do low carb; need advice

Amy_B

I just got back from getting a physical at the doctor. I'll get blood testing done Saturday for diabetes, thyroid, cholesterol, etc. I want to make sure to keep my health in check because of my parents' deaths due to heart attacks/type II diabetes.

So, I have a question or a few for you. My doctor recommended I go low carb because of the whole insulin issue. I know I've not been doing too great with sugar, but when I eat grains, they're almost always whole. Plus, I do eat 2-3 pieces of fruit everyday. I try to do cardio 4-5x/week and strength training 2-3x/week. I am worried that going low carb will affect my energy levels. Plus, when I was losing my 100+ pounds, I never completely cut out one food group. Is this all realistic? Do you have any advice?

I know I've heard several people going "on" then "off" then "on" certain diets like Atkins. I didn't want to do any one thing that I could "go off of." Any thoughts?

Thanks!

ETA: I don't think I have diabetes or specific insulin issues, but he says since my parents had issues, I need to look out for it. Also, what about other "plans" like clean eating? Would that be low or lower carb? That's really my preferred method since I kind of go that way anyway.

thedreamhazer

How low carb?

ImpishScoundrel

I was on cholesterol and BP meds, and the doc was constantly hounding me about my ever rising blood sugar. Now I'm pretty much clean as a whistle.

I pretty much gave up everything made with white processed flour. Gave up white rice, potato chips, corn chips... Gave up processed foods. I now eat a lot of raw vegetables, fruits, and only whole grain foods (in small quantities). I've never been a big sugar eater, so that was never a problem. Dropped my blood sugar from 134 to 88. Dropped my triglycerides from 259 to 76.

caraiselite

if you're in ketosis, you will have MORE energy than you do now. it won't kill your levels at all.

Amy_B

I was on cholesterol and BP meds, and the doc was constantly hounding me about my ever rising blood sugar. Now I'm pretty much clean as a whistle.

I pretty much gave up everything made with white processed flour. Gave up white rice, potato chips, corn chips... Gave up processed foods. I now eat a lot of raw vegetables, fruits, and only whole grain foods (in small quantities). I've never been a big sugar eater, so that was never a problem. Dropped my blood sugar from 134 to 88. Dropped my triglycerides from 259 to 76.

I can do this type of thing.

He didn't give me a number as to how long. He suggested Atkins or South Beach.

Dayna154

I had more enegry once I gave up on lots of carbs. I do 20% good carbs.

DrBorkBork

Low carb is AWESOME! Mainly cuz you get to replace all that "fluff" with protein and healthy fats... and I don't know anyone who doesn't secretly love delicious fat (avocados, coconut, bacon, etc)

17ChargerGirl17

I eat very few carbs daily. Once you get past the first 3 days, you'll be fine.
I have a lot more energy not eating all the carbs and not only have I lost more weight but a lot of inches.
Good luck with whatever you decide.

cuatromommy

Watch the movie Forks Over Knives on Netflix, or rent it on Amazon. That movie will open your eyes to other options.

Remember...Dr Atkins died of a heart attack....he's the same dr that promised eating fats and meats would prevent heart disease.

squishycow7

google glycemic index?

Generically speaking- I would assume the doc wants you to avoid flour and sugar. And by flour I'm sure he would also include whole wheat- it's still flour.

Sharonks

My energy was never good when I low carbed but I had to do it to keep my BG under control. I'm a T2 diabetic and apparently make little insulin. We're talking months of eating 25 carbs then 50 then 75. Around 75 I started feeling good again.

If you don't want to go induction level atkins then don't. If you aren't having issues why worry about them. Cutting out refined carbs and refined sugar will help anyone. Make sure you eat lots of non starchy veggies, a few pieces of fruit and whole grains along with proteins, healthy fats etc and you will have a nice, sustainable lifestyle.

sweetheart03622

Try looking into 'low glycemic' instead of low-carb. Basically, that just limits the types of carbs that send your blood sugar for a whirl (so you'll eat more apples, less bananas). Another option isn't to go low carb but to go high protein. I make myself eat at least 120g of protein/day and, because of that, I'm naturally eating less carbs because I'm not as hungry. I still eat pasta, fruit, and bread, just not as much.

BAMFMeredith

I consider my diet to be low carb. I don't eat any bread/pasta/rice/potatoes because they upset my stomach and make me feel lethargic, not really for a weight loss reason, and my doctor (and a nutritionist) recommended it. I get all of my carbs from fruits and veggies, and I eat a lot of protein. I have tons of energy and work out 6-7 days per week, usually at a high intensity.

Feel free to take a look at my diary for an idea of my take on low carb. I've set my macros to 40% protein/30% carbs/30% fats, although I'm usually under on my carb intake. The way I've done it is more of a realistic lifestyle change as opposed to a strict diet, and I do have my days here and there where I eat starches and/or drink beer like it's going out of style. All in moderation! I would say my diet is pretty clean and free of processed foods for the most part.

SpecialKitty7

my husband is type 2. He was able to keep the whole grains but unfortunately, he had to give up fruit, it was too much of a blood sugar spike. His energy level has not changed, if anything its gone up since now that he's lost weight from the diet change. The dr gave us carb limits to stay within, which was 14-16 carb exchanges, or 210-240 g per day and to space everything out between the meals. She also said to try and limit the junk carbs for the good ones, and we only kinda did. He's now diet controlled, no meds, so i think we've done okay. I'd ask the dr what they mean by low carb. Diabetics can't avoid carbs, you need them for energy, its about choosing the ones that give you the best energy.

Shadom

Check various sources on the internet. Read widely before you decide.

Anaconda62

I was on cholesterol and BP meds, and the doc was constantly hounding me about my ever rising blood sugar. Now I'm pretty much clean as a whistle.

I pretty much gave up everything made with white processed flour. Gave up white rice, potato chips, corn chips... Gave up processed foods. I now eat a lot of raw vegetables, fruits, and only whole grain foods (in small quantities). I've never been a big sugar eater, so that was never a problem. Dropped my blood sugar from 134 to 88. Dropped my triglycerides from 259 to 76.

I can do this type of thing.

He didn't give me a number as to how long. He suggested Atkins or South Beach.

I consider South Beach a very lifestyle-oriented diet. I did Atkins some years ago, and I had a very hard really sticking to it for long.

sarahrbraun

you need to ask your doctor HOW low carb he wants you to go! When I was diagnosed with insulin resistance 7-8 years ago, my doctor told me to aim for 50g net carbs per day. To get an idea of what foods to eat, etc, I read the Atkins book. I cannot remember if I did induction back then, and this time around I am aiming between 50-100g net carbs.

Honestly, I have very few issues with low energy or hunger.

DrBorkBork

Watch the movie Forks Over Knives on Netflix, or rent it on Amazon. That movie will open your eyes to other options.

Remember...Dr Atkins died of a heart attack....he's the same dr that promised eating fats and meats would prevent heart disease.

Actually he died from a fall where he smacked his head pretty hard.

Watch Fat Head, it's way more entertaining! :P

myfitnessval

eating low carb is actually easier than you might think, i usually aim for around 40% or less carbs and the rest being fat and protein. the typical "diet" standard is 60% carbs. also eating foods lower on the glycemic index can help. south beach diet was a great way for me to introduce healthy filling fats and proteins into my diet because before then i had NO clue how to cut carbs from my diet, and adding them back in gradually works for a lot of people because you become more choosy on what you do and do not consume. try it

dittmarml

I did Atkins for a year and half and lost 50 pounds. About 2 years later, after alot of personal stress, my sugar started to creep up. I was 53 at the time...I told my doc I didn't want the disease or the complications...he recommended I get and read Dr. Neil Barnard's "Reversing Type II Diabetes". It's loaded with research...I got it, read as far as Chapter 2 before I realized he was prescribing a low fat, vegan diet. I switched and haven't looked back. Two years later, my blood work looks like I'm in my low 40's, not my mid-50's (was 55 just yesterday) and my sugar's perfect.

All that said I'm not saying "go vegan", although I'm a huge believer. I've done alot of other reading and am convinced that the real culprit for Type II diabetes is not sugar or simple carbs - they just make the situation worse - but interstitial fat, which builds up within and around cells. So I'm a VERY strong advocate of "eating clean" and eating low fat - which in my case, means I just accept whatever fats are naturally in clean foods and I don't add any oils when I cook.

Personally I think you're far better off to go with clean eating - balancing legumes, veggies, whole grains, fruits - and water, tea, etc - if you eat that way, your body will just naturally do what it needs to do to shed weight and stabilize sugar (among other things). But I also believe that "one size doesn't fit all" and what works for me might not work for others. So all the above is just my experience.

The best thing is that you're staying cognizant of the risks and seeking the best approach to achieve balanced health. Good for you and keep it up!

sun33082

You don't have to go LOW carb at first, if at all. Just shoot for lower carb. What's your carb intake like right now? I do 30% (around 100 g) carbs, and 35% fat and protein. Cut out processed foods. Eat whole, clean foods as much as possible.

dittmarml

PS - I eat 10% fat, 15% protein (which I'd like to drop a bit more), 75% carbs.

Captain_Tightpants

How low does your doc want you to go?

Most full diabetics can achieve fine control with as much as 40% carbs (zone). You don't have to go as extreme as atkins or other ketogenic diets to achieve blood glucose control.

jasonheyd

I think your best bet is to see / get a referral to a nutritionist, if you can. They should be able to give you some pretty solid advice in terms of specific changes that you can make... Things like carbs per serving, specific foods & ingredients to choose & avoid, saturated fat limits per meal, etc.

In general, what you want to stay away from is probably white flour, processed foods, and added sugar... If the ingredients list has sugar, cane sugar, honey, corn syrup, high fuctose corn syrup, etc. then you want to avoid it, or minimize it.

Anaconda62

Watch the movie Forks Over Knives on Netflix, or rent it on Amazon. That movie will open your eyes to other options.

Remember...Dr Atkins died of a heart attack....he's the same dr that promised eating fats and meats would prevent heart disease.

No -- he didn't. He had a heart attack, yes. But that was way before his death. He died because he fell on icy pavement.

TheDreadPirateRoberts

Personally I would follow your doctors advice and I would not ask for a second opinion from a bunch of untrained people on an internet web site.

sarahrbraun

Watch the movie Forks Over Knives on Netflix, or rent it on Amazon. That movie will open your eyes to other options.

Remember...Dr Atkins died of a heart attack....he's the same dr that promised eating fats and meats would prevent heart disease.

You might want to google Dr Atkins, I did....this is what wikipedia had to say...

Heart attack
Atkins suffered a cardiac arrest in April 2002, leading many of his critics to point to this episode as proof of the inherent dangers of the consumption of high levels saturated fat associated with the Atkins diet. In numerous interviews, however, Atkins stated that his heart attack was not the result of poor diet, but was rather caused by a chronic infection.[7] Atkins' personal physician and cardiologist, Dr. Patrick Fratellone, confirmed this assertion, saying "We have been treating this condition, cardiomyopathy, for almost two years. Clearly, [Atkins'] own nutritional protocols have left him, at the age of 71, with an extraordinarily healthy cardiovascular system." According to reports on CNN at the time of Atkins' convalescence, Dr. Clyde Yancy, a cardiologist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and a member of the American Heart Association's national board of directors reported that "despite the obvious irony, I believe there is a total disconnect between [Atkins'] cardiac arrest and the health approach he [Atkins] popularizes."[11]
[edit]Death

On April 8, 2003, at age 72, a day after a major snowstorm in New York, Atkins slipped on icy pavement, suffering severe head trauma. He spent nine days in intensive care, before dying on April 17, 2003 from complications from his head injury.[12] Atkins' work inspired a whole new tendency in dietetics, and many companies released low-carb diets and low-carb foods.[13]

Amy_B

Thank you for all the advice! I think I will check out more clean eating books and the South Beach Diet to see what will fit best with my lifestyle. I know I've not done too well with sugar this past year (eating more than I should), so either or both of these should help. I'm sure they'll help with my waist line too.

DrBorkBork

Thank you for all the advice! I think I will check out more clean eating books and the South Beach Diet to see what will fit best with my lifestyle. I know I've not done too well with sugar this past year (eating more than I should), so either or both of these should help. I'm sure they'll help with my waist line too.

I LOVE COOKBOOKS! If you're looking for just some nice, clean eating ones, check out Everyday Paleo, Paleo Comfort Foods, and Make It Paleo. I love the jambalaya in the PCF book!

konerusp

As long as you are on low glycemic foods you should be fine.My dad had diabetes,he cut out white rice and all white flour/bread etc.He switched to brownrice/wheat bread etc.he could turn it around within 2 months of diagnosis. Low GI is the key for persons with risk of diabetes.

healthybabs

Another reader suggested seeking out the advice of a nutrtionist. I did that a couple of months ago and working with her has been very eye opening. She did a full assessment including consideration of "my life"... what can i realistically do. Like you I have heart disease in my family as well and sadly last year lost my brother at age 56 to a massive heart attack. I am fortunate my local YMCA has an excellent nutritionist on staff, check at your local Y if you have one. Their services are included in the price of membership.
One size does not fit all, you need to find what is going to work best for you. A good read for you might be Dr. Furhman's Eat to Live and also look into the DASH diet plan which is recommended for heart risk folks like us. Good luck in whatever you choose, you have come so far already!! Congrats.